From Tomatoes to Supper in No Time Flat

Or should I say “splat” –tomatoes, especially from the farmer’s market, are extra juicy this time of year. As we sweat out the last of the summer, I’m sure there’s nothing better than a sweet tasting, ripe tomato – just look at all the varieties for sale right now – tomatoes in every size and color!

Heirloom, Roma, or standard, I love tomatoes on everything from sandwiches to salads, from breakfast to supper, from January through December.

I love them most right now. Something about the taste of heirloom tomatoes brings memories of those last days of sun-filled warmth; gets you ready for the crisp change in the air that’s soon to come.

This tomato tart takes advantage of every size, shape and color tomato you have ripening on your counter top. Then we take it over the top by adding cheese! Here’s my creation, a few minutes before it goes into the oven…

Since we are all about the tomato here, it’s okay (well, it’s maybe, sort of a crime…) to ignore the homemade pie crust portion of this recipe and use store-bought. Do give this crust a try if you’re feeling up to it! So far as pastry goes, it’s easy, rich, flaky; just the thing you need to elevate this dish into the perfect dinner. It’s an upscale version of a tomato pie, and a great way to hold onto summer just a little bit longer in every bite…

Place the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the chilled butter pieces. Pulse to form crumbs. Add the egg yolks and pulse to combine. Add some of the water and pulse to form a dough. Add more water as needed. Pour out the dough to your lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Place the slices of tomatoes onto a platter or into a shallow bowl. Place the parsley, basil, dill and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to finely chop the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Spread this herb-olive oil over the tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Pull the dough from the fridge and place between two sheets of plastic wrap. Roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thick. It’s your choice to shape the dough as you wish, either a rectangle or circle. Use the plastic wrap to transfer the dough to a baking sheet. Remove the wrap. Use your finger to form a crust around the edges. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray (so it doesn’t stick) and gently push it down and over the dough. Use pie weights or dried beans to hold the foil in place. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil (with the pie weights) and bake until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes more. If the pastry puffs up during baking, use a fork to gently pierce the bubbles. You want it to be a flat tart. Remove the tart from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Lower the oven temperature to 375°. Brush the mustard onto the bottom of the tart. Place half of the Gruyere cheese over the mustard. Arrange the tomato slices over the cheese. Top the tomatoes with the remaining Gruyere and the Parmesan cheeses. Place the tart back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve the tart warm from the oven or at room temperature.